Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-03-31
A QUALIFIED APPROVAL.
Col. Beckwith Nominated In a Luke-warm
Way by the KIckers.

Col. IteckW1tn Nominated IN Luk6-Warm
Way by the KIckers.
Special Correspondence ofGie Register.
CHARLEsTowN, VIVA, March Cool.
Frank Beckwith was named by the Demo
cratic Convention held here to-day for the
purpose of nominating q successor in the
House OF Delegates to Mr.. Lucas. The
caucus Democrats did not support Mr..
Beckwith The Convention consisted Of
forty three votes, eight of which came
from ShepherdstOwn and four from Har-
pers Ferry. The vote was taken by pre-
cincts and resulted without any demon
stration Of enthusiasm whatever in the
nomination of Mr. Beckwith.
w. H. I. Lewis was chosen chairman
and !. NJ. Evans and Harry Melvin, sec
rntaries. The roll of the delegates was
called and every district was represented.
Col. Morgan, of ShepherdstOwn, offered
the following resolution, which was laid On
the table:
WHEREAS, This convention has been
called for the purpose of nominating a can
didate for the House of Delegates of West
Virginia to fill a vacancy caused by the
resignation of Hon. ID. B. Lucas and it is
proper that there should be made declar-
alton or principle that should govern the
action of such candidate in the event OF
his election to said office; therefore
ResOlred, That in presenting candidate
for said vacancy this convention declares
as its wish and enjoins that the said candi-
date if elected shall be on all matters
relating to party principles, organization
and management observe the usages and
customs of the Democratic party, and
while declining to express q preference for
the Office of United States Senator it is the
Judgment of this body that conference of
the Democratic members of the Legislature
as the propriety or impropriety of electing
or attempting to elect such o Senator
should be held and that the candidate
chosen by this Convention, if elected,
should participate in the said conference
and abide by its action and determination
in relation thereto.
Col Frank Beckwith was placed in nom.
ination by J. H. Trapnell. There were
no other nominations. Upon the call of
the roll by districts Shepherdstown and
Harper's Ferry districts, comprising one
fourth of the delegates, refused to vote.
The remaining districts voted for Beck
with The Chair annouced that Col. Beck
with was duly nominated.
A motion was made TO make the nOmina-
ton unanimous. There was a strong pro-
test against this and the Chair failed to de-
eide whether the motion was carried or
not
Col. Beckwith was brought into the
convention and accepted the nomination
in a we'll prepared speech, the substance
of which was that the question of going
into the nomination of 4 United States
Senator was conflict between the State
and Federal Constitutions; that for four
years the men of that convention had
fonght for State rights, and he was not in
faver of going into an election when the
State Constitution said not. Still, if the
majority OF the Democrats favored going
into the election of United States Sena-
tor at the special session, and Mr.. Cam
denis friends would promise that his name
would not he before the caucus, then and
then only would he act with the Demo-
cratic party on that question. He closed
by calling on the Democrats of Jefferson
to stand by the nominee of the convention,
as the eyes of the people were upon them.
The convention then adjourned.
The enthusiasm in the camp OF the pO-
litical strikers over their recent alleged
victory i'll this county has spent itself and
sounds of rejoicing do not prevail among
them to any appreciablc extent, while the
loyal Democrat smiles in his sleeve when he
considers the energetic use the disorganizers
made of the ample rope that had been
given them. For have they not filled the
floating voter with red wine only to
find they have filled themselves with the
east wind, and procured votes at mini
mum consideration 10 be startled by the
discovery that they themselves were
sold" Friends of Representative Chew
were generous in their contributions to Sc
cure for his recent course in the Legisla-
ture AN approval by his constituents.
They gave time, influence, money
and all that the latter could
secure; in fact employed so-called
Camden methods" which they so
loudly proclaim to be detrimental
to pure politics and subversive of good
government. And, after all, were nOmin-
ated by meager vOte-less than half that
attained at the late election, and mystitied
by the non voting Of the straight or caucus
observing Democrats. And, to cap the
climax, what of victory they achieved was
snatched from them by more previous
correspondent of the press and with cleo
tric speed given to an inquiring world TO
the glory of Mr.. Lucas.
1t is costly luxury to be a Legislator,
especially when drawn into the whirlpool
circling about the struggles Ofan ambitious
but well-nigh hopeless colleague.
The vote for Col. Beckwith, who rep
resented the anti DemoCratiC-usaGe ele-
ment of the Democracy of Jefferson, was
$40! rs against =, l39 for Col. Chew, and
=, ,0S7 for Hon. Daniel y. lIucas last No
vember! The reader can put his own esti-
mate on such an approval, swhilst good
Democrats everywhere must deplOre such
result of undemocratiC practices rs were
INDUCED in at Charleston. A party sacrl-
feed with prejudice may be exalted or
personal pique gratited.
The following table, comparing the vote
received by Col. Chew at the general cleo
ton in 's6 with that of Col. BeCkwIth on
Saturday last, demonstrates beyond ques-
ti0n the nature of the anti-caucus "yiC-
tory"
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